Improvement in beams or girders for fire-proof structures



este eine WILLIAM WEsLEYeIUeHns, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 111,063, dated January 17, 1871..u

IMPRovEME'NT IN lai-:AMS on emnens Fon FIRE-PROOF STRUCTURES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

I, WILLIAM WEsLEY HUGHES, of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State ot' Pennsylvania, have 'livented an improved Beam or Girder, of which the following is a specification.

Nature-and Object of the Invention.

My invention consists of` a beam or girder incased in'or coated with plaster of Paris or other non-conducting material, for the purpose of preventing the injury or destruction of the said beam or girder in case of lire.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved beam or girder, with a portion of the coating removed;

Figure 2, a transverse section .of the same;

Figure 11"', a sectional plan on the line 1 2, iig. r; and

`Figure 4, a view of part of one end of the beam, showing a modification.

General Description.

A represents an Ibeam, such, for instance, asa-re commonly used for the support of theiioors of buildings, c being the web; b and b', the lupper and lower iaugcs; and c c, semicircular enlargements at each end, by which thc said beam can be secu-red in the usual-manner to supportingfcolumns and to other adjoining beams,

I propose to inclose or coat the beam with plaster of Paris, or with other lsuitable non-conducting material, which will protect and prevent the destruction or warping and twisting of the beam in Case of fire.

In the beam illustrated in the' drawing, a mass of plaster of Paris, f, is cast into the recess 7:-, at one side of the beam, and a similar mass, f1, into the recess at the opposite side of the beam, the bottom of the latter being protected by another mass of plaster, f2, contained in a casing, t', of sheet-iron, which is bolted or otherwise secured to the lower angeand ends of the beam.

'lhe top ofthe beam may also be coated, ifdesired, but this portieri of the beam will, in most cases, be sufficiently protected by the arched masonry or brickwork extending transversely from beam to beam, for the support of the floor above;

For the purpose of causingthc plaster to adhere to Athe beam I forni on thc sides ot' the latter, at points directly opposite to each other, a number ot' projections, It, and the plaster may be concealed andl prevented-trom cracking olf at points between the projections by sheet-iron or other plates Im., secured to the opposite sides of the beam by bolts or rivets p, which are passed through holes formed in the said projections, and extending through the beam. These holes enable bolts to Abe passed through any of the projections, and serve, at the same time, to reduce the weight of the beam.

The plates m can be perfectly plain, or they may be, perforated with holes, as shown in fig. 4, for the purpose of admitting air to the plaster beneath.

AIn some instances the plates m can be dispensed with, in which case the surface of the plaster or mastic filling may be suitably ornamented.

It will be evident that my invention. can be applied to any of the beams or g-irders in common use,as well as to the iI-beam, illustrated in the drawing; and it canV also, in some instances," be applied to wooden joists for the purpose of preventing the destruction ci' the sume by lire.

Claim.

As a new article of manufacture, a beam or giidcr, to thc sides ofwhich plaster of Paris or other nonconducting material is confined, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my` name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. W. XV. HUGHES.-

Witnesses:

WM. A. STEEL, HARRY SMITH, 

